How To Get Ready For California's 2018 Midterm Election

Kelly Pope walks into the North Natomas Library to drop off her ballot.

Andrew Nixon / Capital Public Radio

Updated Nov. 1, 2:51 p.m.

From who will be our next governor, to whether we should expand rent control — California voters will be making big decisions about the future of the state in this year’s midterm election. Here’s everything you need to know to be ready to cast your vote on November 6.

How to register

The California voter registration deadline was October 22, 2018. You can check your status and see where you’re registered on the Secretary of State’s website, which also has information about voter eligibility, when you need to re-register (for example, if you’ve changed your name), what to do if you’re away at college and more.

CapRadio’s Capitol Bureau Chief Ben Adler also interviewed the candidates about who they are, where they came from and what they believe in. You can listen to the conversations on our podcast California’s Next Governor.

They shared the stage in October at an event put on by the nonpartisan Public Policy Institute of California in San Francisco. It was the first time Feinstein faced off with an opponent since 2000.

Congressional Races

There are several hotly contested congressional races in California this year. Seats that were solidly Republican are suddenly up for grabs and could determine which party controls the U.S. House of Representatives. These Republican districts include those held by representatives Darrell Issa, Jeff Denham, Steve Knight, Ed Royce, Dana Rohrabacher, Mimi Walters and David Valadao.

Former charter school executive Marshall Tuck and Assemblyman Tony Thurmond finished neck-and-neck in the June primary for state superintendent of public instruction. Both are Democrats and they agree on a lot, from free preschool for all children to fixing the teacher shortage. But they disagree on a heavily contested issue: the growth of charter schools in California. The race has set a record for the most expensive state superintendent election in history, with a cast of billionaires supporting Tuck who are outspending teacher unions.

The Sacramento City Council is asking voters to weigh a sales tax increase under Measure U, which would raise the total tax to 8.75 percent. Officials say the increase would generate an estimated $100 million a year for not only police, firefighters and parks, but also affordable housing, homelessness and investment in communities of color.

Cast your vote

Depending on where you live and what voting method you prefer, you’ll either mail in your ballot, drop it off at a certified location, or head to a polling place or vote center on November 6.

Polling places are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. You can look up your polling place here.

Voters in Sacramento, Madera, Napa, Nevada and San Mateo counties had ballots mailed to them, which they can either drop off or mail back. Your ballot must be postmarked on or before November 6 and received within three days of Election Day. If you didn’t receive your ballot, visit your county elections office. You can also opt to vote in person at a Vote Center, which unlike polling places, are unassigned.

Kacey joined Capital Public Radio as an interactive producer in January 2018. Before CapRadio, she worked as the communications coordinator for North State Public Radio in Chico, CA. She studied journalism at California State University, Chico. Read Full Bio